Prince William Rescues Oblivious Patient in Helicopter

Man Realizes He's Being Rescued by Prince William During Helicopter Flight1:30

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LONDON — It's not every day that a future king swoops in by helicopter to rescue you.

But when Prince William came to Jim Schembri's aid, he almost didn't notice.

The 37-year-old arborist was injured when a branch collapsed, leaving him with a dislocated shoulder and hip.

Schembri's injuries were serious enough to require the assistance of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, an emergency medical service that employs the second-in-line to the British throne as a pilot.

"It wasn't until they were actually loading me into the helicopter that it clicked," Schembi told NBC News' British partner ITV. "I said, 'Willsy better not be flying this thing.' He turned around and said, 'I've been holding your head for the last 30 minutes.'"